How to Choose a Bridal Florist

GROOM'S FORMAL WEAR

How would your wedding look without flowers to beautify an otherwise empty space? The right flowers add color and vitality to your event. They offer a special meaning to an occasion full of symbolic gestures.

Choosing wedding flowers to complement your theme and style means first choosing a bridal florist whose creative talent can capture your personal tastes. The process of hiring a wedding florist begins about eight months before your wedding day, with the signing of a formal contract no later than four months prior to the event.

Where to Find Reputable Wedding Florists

Talk to your friends or family about wedding florists they have used in the past. Take suggestions from your other wedding professionals such as your photographer, venue manager or wedding planner.

Do not hesitate to visit several different florists. Pay specific attention to the arrangements in the store. Check to see if the flowers are alive and vibrant or old and wilted. Also, ask the florists to see photographs of weddings they have done in the past.

Before hiring a wedding florist, get to know his/her own personal style and design philosophy. Like many elements in modern weddings, florists can create arrangements that are traditional, elegant, edgy or simplistic. Ask how the shop classifies itself.

Next, find out if the florist has any ideas for your wedding. Discuss your theme and colors. Discuss your tastes and your vision. Also, make sure she can help you choose flowers that will help set the intended mood during the wedding.

While you rely on the florist for her expertise, find how many of your ideas will be included when choosing wedding flowers or if he/she will want to take complete control of your floral design.

Finally, it is important to verify how many other events the florist will do on the same weekend and who will be delivering the arrangements to your wedding venue. Find out if the florist will set up your arrangements or leave that up to the venue manager and his staff.

Choosing the Wedding Flowers

Even if you are unfamiliar with specific flowers, you can still choose the color of the flowers to match your wedding. The florist will be able to tell you which flowers are best to match your color needs.

Warm colors like yellow, red and orange are eye catching. From roses to snapdragons, honeysuckle to daylilies, these bright shades add excitement and livelihood to your day. Slightly less intense, pink flowers, such as petunias and michaelmas daisies, offer peace and harmony.

On the other end of the spectrum, cool colors such as purple, blue and green offer a more calming effect to your wedding. Lilacs, giant bellflowers, irises, lavender and blue fescue all contrast vibrant warm colors many couples choose. These cooler shades also add strength and charm to your arrangement.

In addition to helping you choose color, a professional florist will know which flowers will be available during the month of your wedding. Spring and summer weddings will have a different selection of flowers available than fall and winter weddings. Out-of-season flowers may still be available, but you may have to pay shipping costs to get them brought in from elsewhere.

From your discussions with your chosen florist, you should be able to determine the general type of flower that will match your style. Make your designer aware of the type of arrangements you prefer. Also discuss the flowers you dislike.

Be prepared to discuss your specific flower needs when you meet with the florist. Will you decorate the church or just the reception venue? Where will the flowers be placed within each location? Who will be wearing flowers during your event?

Saving Money

Your budget may end up determining the types of floral designs available to you. If money is an issue, you may consider preparing your own floral arrangements. While this can lead to disastrous consequences for some, the right research and planning will enable you to create arrangements so beautiful your guests will think they were professionally crafted.

These tips will help ensure that your initial foray into floral design is a success.

Research flower types. Know what colors are available and what flowers will be in bloom for your wedding.

Get Ideas. Look at arrangements from floral shops, magazines, hotels and books. See what type of flower arrangements other couples have used.

Prepare and practice as much as possible. If you plan to design your own arrangements, practice early. The last minute is not the time you should begin the process.

Plan ahead. Figure out where you will need flowers; use this information to determine how many you need to purchase.

Buy your flowers and supplies. In addition to making sure you have the perfect flowers, have plenty of water and supplies. You need ribbons to bind your flowers together into your bouquet. You need vases to hold flowers on each table. These details can be the downfall of any novice flower designer.

Get help. Family and friends will need to help you carry out your plans and follow the floral recipes you have chosen.

Store your flowers in a cool place. You want to avoid having wilted bouquets on your wedding.

Whether you decide to hire a florist or design your own arrangements, following some basic advice will ensure the most beautiful flowers available surround you on your fantastic day.